Long-time blog readers know that I’m a Hyatt girl, usually. My family has stayed in some outstanding Hyatt resorts around the U.S. as well as Costa Rica, and Hyatt Place is my go-to brand for many overnight stays.
However, I do own the Chase IHG Rewards Premier credit card, which comes with a free night certificate every year. So far, I’ve only used my free night certificate to stay at Holiday Inn Express & Suites hotels on road trips. But this year, I used my free night certificate to stay near the Geneva airport on my last night in Switzerland. I must admit, Crowne Plaza Geneva is the nicest IHG property I’ve ever experienced.
Arrival and Check-in
My daughter and I took a train from Montreux to Geneva Airport. From there, we waited for a free shuttle to the hotel. It leaves the hotel every 30 minutes, and we waited around 15 minutes for the pickup. The shuttle ride was very short, as the hotel is just a few short blocks from the airport.
Upon check-in, the host asked if I preferred one bed or two. I requested two beds, since my daughter is a restless sleeper. The hotel did not have any rooms with two beds available, but they gave me a room with a king bed and a rollaway bed. The host also informed me that our room is on the Club floor with Club Lounge access (thanks to my Platinum Elite status from my credit card). Woohoo!
Our Room at Crowne Plaza Geneva
Each hotel room number was revealed by a lantern-looking light.
Our room was large (especially for European hotel rooms). It was also very sound proof, which is important due to proximity to the airport.
The bed was very comfortable, and my daughter had no complaints about her rollaway bed either.
The room had a coffee maker, drawers, and closet.
The bathroom was large with plentiful counter space:
Crowne Plaza Geneva Club Lounge
The Club Lounge was just a few doors down from our room.
When we arrived in the late afternoon, the evening hors d’oeuvres were being set up. We came back a a few minutes later and ate dinner there. We had fried calamari, a tart/quiche dish, cheese/meat, rolls, fruit and salad. I regret not getting photos after all the food was set out:
The lounge had plenty of drinks, cold and hot, alcoholic and non-alcoholic.
Having lounge access was an unexpected surprise. While the lounge was small, it suited our needs just fine. We did not get to eat breakfast there in the morning because we had to leave for our flight at 4:30 a.m.
Hotel Amenities and Neighborhood
The hotel has two restaurants and a bar. It even has this cute fondue chalet that you can reserve for lunch or dinner.
In addition, Crowne Plaza Geneva has a 24-hour fitness center with massage appointments available.
The hotel has two gas stations nearby (one next door, one across the street). Both have mini-supermarkets where I easily purchased some snacks.
Since our flight left so early the next day, we couldn’t take the hotel shuttle back to the airport. The front desk suggested we take the local bus (bus stop across the street) to the airport at 4:30 a.m. I was very skeptical at taking public transportation that early in the morning. But, this was Switzerland. The bus arrived on time, it was clean, and we felt safe. The hotel also provides cards for free local transportation (we still had our Swiss Travel passes, so we declined).
Final Thoughts
I would not hesitate to stay at Crowne Plaza Geneva again if (and when!) we return to Switzerland. With Switzerland’s fantastic public transportation system, this hotel is convenient to most local attractions around Geneva.
The price in points varies by dates. But, many dates are under the 40k cap that enables you to use the credit card free night certificate.
Author: Nancy
Nancy lives near Dallas, Texas, with her husband and three kids. Her favorite vacations include the beach, cruising and everything Disney.
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